The pilgrim knows that each step on the road may prove to be the goal, yet the goal may prove to have been but one step on the road. This keeps the pilgrim open for surprise.
Br. David Steindl-Rast
Welcome to Day Two of Live Your Life As a Sacred Pilgrimage
You’ve set your intentions and gathered your guides, but you know from years of living that the journey you’ve planned will be different from the one that unfolds. Anyone who has walked a traditional miles-long pilgrimage knows that it’s essential to begin the journey with a map in one hand and curiosity, vulnerability, and wonder in the other. In navigating the pilgrimage of everyday life, these latter qualities can get constricted by real-life demands.
Living life as a sacred pilgrimage is an invitation to open your eyes, heart, and mind to wonder and surprise. A walking pilgrim pauses for the exquisite flower or stunning vista, is curious about fellow travelers and different lands, and, perhaps most importantly, becomes attuned to new thoughts and insights that emerge from within, even when wholly unexpected. Br. David Steindl-Rast writes that “exposure is the essence of pilgrimage” — openness to the unforeseen and unimagined. How might you cultivate this sense of openness and curiosity for your own journey so that you’re equipped to notice and savor the daily delights and small gifts both within and all around?
Become Present
We invite you to begin by watching and listening to A Grateful Day, in which Br. David Steindl-Rast reminds us to be surprised and blessed by the resplendent colors of the earth, the gift of water, the stories of each person we encounter. Take a few deep breaths and begin envisioning yourself traveling the pilgrimage that is your life with this same sense of surprise and wonder.
Practice and Reflect
After enjoying the film, read and/or listen to the short poem, in praise of i don’t know by Maya Stein, then try the following practice:
- Beginning right where you are, take a few moments to attune to any unnoticed “treasures” in your midst. Inspired by the film and poem, look for at least one gift that is right before you — something you may have previously taken for granted.
- With that simple practice in mind, commit to going through the day (or a few hours) with the heightened senses and curiosity of someone on a sacred pilgrimage, paying attention to each step and noticing what calls for your awareness.
- Keep a list of any surprising gifts that offer themselves to you — a conversation, a bird on the windowsill, the sunlight through the window. In the same way that you wouldn’t walk by the unexpected grand vista at a bend in the road of a long pilgrimage, make time for each of these gifts, not rushing past.
At the end of the day, consider the following:
- When you attune your senses to life’s daily treasures, how do you experience the day differently? What internal shifts or insights emerge?
- When you’re set on your day — or your life — going a certain way, is it possible that you’re missing some of the surprising gifts available to you right now?
- Living your life as a sacred pilgrimage, how can you hold your map and compass loosely enough that you remain open to unexpected offerings and learn to trust your feet on the path?
Share
We invite you to share your list of what you noticed when attuning to life’s gifts or your responses to any of the three questions above. Please note that you have to scroll down a bit to post. We savor your reflections; thank you.
Deepening Resource
In Deepening Our Comfort with Uncertainty, Kristi Nelson writes: “There is much to discover that can surprise us, so much to which we can gratefully yield, so much permission to let go of our need to know or control what will happen.” This short essay offers additional wisdom for learning to embrace the uncertainty of our given moments so that we can open our lives to the gifts of mystery and trust.
Photo by George Hiles
Keeping my in mind “Live your life as a Sacred Pilgrimage” is starting to give me a different way to look at Mother Nature. And, to others and things around me. Awe, appreciation, attentiveness are more present in me…..What a blessed feeling! Lovingly
I often find myself saying aloud to myself (and my attentive dog), “I don’t know, I just don’t know” — it’s sort of comforting to say that when alone in my kitchen or going about the small duties of a day. I’m not sure why it’s comforting. I guess it could appear a bit “off” to an outside observer. And so, it was very synchronistic to read the poem today, In Praise of I Don’t Know buy Maya Stein. There really is something comforting in just saying, “I Don’t Know.”
Most mornings, I make up a list of everything I want to accomplish that day. Get. much satisfaction from completing each assignment but, do not leave room for noticing surprises. The surprises or invitations are there for the taking and one can only get involved by working on being present to life every second of the day. I am so humbly grateful to brother David and the Grateful Living Team for reminding me of this. Thanks!
Thank you Fernando!
As a fellow list-maker, your reflection also brings to mind one of my favorite Grateful Living practices, called From Obligation to Opportunity: https://grateful.org/resource/obligation-privilege/, in which we are invited to flip the script from “I have to…” to “I get to…”.
Wishing you space for surprises today!
In the course of an ordinary day, I must make time- and I do make time- to go down to the wharf, out to the very end, and spend a few moments checking out the world: the ever changing clouds in the sky, the tide and condition and aspect of the sea, whatever birds have arrived (hoping, always, for pelicans), the people there (fishing, sightseeing, delivering goods – the daily chores of those who live aboard their boats – and the cluster of “wharf denizens”, or what my mom used to call “the Spit and Argue Club”). When I can feel my breathing calm and my heart slow, I know that all is right with the world and I am ready for whatever comes my way…
Inside my little cottage, I am enamored of the sunlight coming in my south facing windows, giving a cheering aspect to each room in turn that delights the soul-
The video meditation of today reinforces both of these sensations for my, and yes – I am so very grateful!
I love this video bc it reminds me how magnificent this world is! I also love the idea of going throughout my day with a heightened sense of being on a sacred pilgrimage. There is so much we miss!
On this day , I am so grateful because yesterday, somehow, and with God’s help my appointments, events, and other activities fell into place so beautifully. I feel on the path to move forward with love, grace, and appreciation with towards people, the universe, and the environment.
What a good feeling!
Enlightened by Fr. David :thought: Live the day as it is your first day, and also it is your last one.
Thanks to All
I was grateful for a day focused on intentionally being an active participant and observer as life unfolds around me. This was an internal shift from my passive participation in daily life. I had a reawakened appreciation of connections/ interactions with those who crossed my path. An active observation of their strengths, attitudes, and/or perspectives provide glimpses into lives well lived.
I have lived much like a hamster in a habitrail cage whose priority destination was the “work-wheel.” I missed many of the surprising gifts that life offers. So, on this pilgrimage — I no longer want to simply exist, but rather learn to appreciate, recognize and embrace the experiences/connections that life offers.
I know all too well how easy it is to have tunnel vision on intended goal(s) and to stubbornly continue just because it is more comfortable to do so. This alone motivates me to review, assess and re-appraise my map/compass regularly. I hope that my “spidey” sense is on high alert so that I remain just outside my comfort zone. If so, then I am being true to following my feet and not notes on a piece of paper. This will motivate me to review, assess and re-appraise my map/compass regularly.
I watched the “good day” video a long time. It has seen me through many troubled times and taught me the lesson of gratefulness in the ordinary, it has become my way. It is easy to stay at times, but a habit one should make and keep. There is a wild iris growing just off the sidewalk in front of my house. Along it’s side is a weed with stunning yellow blooms and another with magnificent reddish orange, star shaped flowers. All growing, seemingly by chance. But I believe perfectly placed by the Divine for my pleasure. My heart is filled with gratitude for such beauty and the fullness my heart feels when I see them. I am in a particularly “unknowing” time of life at this moment. But then again, aren’t we always. It is difficult to stay open to the possibilities. But so worth the effort. We wouldn’t want to miss something so profound and beautiful, planning our own way too strictly. So loosely hold your compass and remain in awe at the awesomeness on the path along the way.
I am grateful for each breath and the peacefulness of a snowy day. I am grateful for all the love that was shared with me today in the form of music, messages, phone calls, and gifts of time and treasure. I am so fortunate to be so very loved.
I am grateful for all of the insights from today’s journey. I read it in the evening so I look forward to watching for the surprises of tomorrow and starting a list.
Today I found myself chuckling vs reacting to someone who is in constant overwhelm. I tried to respond positively to her but there is always one more response. So I let it go. Being attuned to a new thought or way of thinking was a surprise and a gift for today.
I also am grateful for learning of Maya Stein. Her verse “what if we could let ourselves rest for a little while in this halo of I don’t know, feel it’s soft touch against our urgent skin.” will go with me now on my sacred pilgrimage.
Peace.
When you’re set on your day — or your life — going a certain way, is it possible that you’re missing some of the surprising gifts available to you right now? Absolutely. As I get caught up in making things “go right” (as I think they should) I miss out on surprises along the way but also crank up anxiety which makes it even less likely that I will slow down and be present. If I cannot be present I will miss most of what life brings across my path.
When you’re set on your day — or your life — going a certain way, is it possible that you’re missing some of the surprising gifts available to you right now? Absolutely! If our day is progressing smoothly with no bumps along the way, much of the time we take our progress for granted and maybe forget to appreciate the ease with which we are moving.
Living your life as a sacred pilgrimage, how can you hold your map and compass loosely enough that you remain open to unexpected offerings and learn to trust your feet on the path? Life is a journey but not a marathon. What’s the hurry? Slow down; meander; stroll. There’s so much to see and experience. We don’t wnat to pass it by. We might miss something that could be life-changing!
The pear trees that line my street have exploded with gorgeous white blossoms. Refreshing rain continues to fall here where we usually have drought. These are joyful sights. I give thanks for this day and the space created within it for reflection and remembrance. There is gladness in my heart for continued breath and the opportunity to further discover “my hidden life”. Lastly, I appreciate the poetry and essays that tell me I’m not alone.
My car slide off the driveway in the snow. Not the day I had planned but then the day slowed down, waiting, watching the snow and the clouds over head. Now, looking at my cat curled up in his bed behind the computer and the singing bowl gifted by friends 20 years ago at their wedding.
Today’s ” moments of pause” were delightful ! , including sharing the theme of “I don’t know” and the beach glass touchstones with my beachcombing-together Granddaughter. The treasure in sight was my strange and wonderful kalanchoe plant, that had endured some rather testing times on the sundeck, and reacted by growing in an unusual Bonsai pattern, AND now has chosen to bloom most colourfully ! Is that adaptation a paradigm for many Forms of Life ? Much thanks to All for, and on, this Pilgrimage.